More NDAA amendments: UN arms treaty, drone kills, Taiwan F-16 sales
Members also approved a proposal from Rep. Paul Broun (R-Ga.) to prohibit the Department of Defense (DOD) from using a drone to kill a U.S. citizen unless they are actively engaged in combat against the United States.
Another amendment, from Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), directs President Obama to sell 66 F-16 C/D aircraft to Taiwan.
{mosads}Elsewhere, the en bloc included a proposal from Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa) requiring the president to report on the long-term costs of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, and Operation Enduring Freedom. And, it included language from Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) requiring the Department of Defense to post the cost of wars in Afghanistan and Iraq on DOD’s website.
All of these proposals were approved en bloc, along with proposals from:
— Rob Andrews (D-N.J.), making various technical changes.
— Jackie Speier (D-Calif.), requiring the Department of Defense to give certain congressional offices the same access to DOD facilities as House and Senate Armed Services.
— Sam Farr (D-Calif.), adding a sense of Congress that senior leadership in the Department of Defense should consider the importance of foreign language and cultural education.
— Pete Gallego (D-Texas), extending Expedited Hiring Authority for civilian personnel to address shortages in healthcare-related occupations.
— Connolly, authorizing up to 5 percent of humanitarian funds to be used for evaluating these programs.
— Michael Grimm (R-N.Y.), expressing condemnation of Iran for its persecution of its Baha’i religious minority.
— Connolly, requiring the Department of Defense to report on how Egypt’s military is supporting the rights of individuals involved in civil society.
— Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), authorizing the Department of Defense to support the fight against transnational drug trafficking.
— Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.), adding a sense of Congress on the threat posed to Israel by the sale or transfer of anti-aircraft weapons to Syria.
— Scott Rigell (R-Va.), reaffirming Congress’s constitutional war powers by saying nothing in the bill authorizes any use of military force.
— Peter Roskam (R-Ill.), requiring the president to submit reports identifying steps the U.S. has taken to ensure Israel has the ability to remove “existential threats to its security and defend its vital national interests.”
— Jim Bridenstine (R-Okla.), requiring the Department of Defense to report on the implications of Caspian Sea-based resource development.
— Bridenstine, requiring the Department of Defense to report on the current and future military power of the Russian Federation.
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